Electrical connectors



M 3, 1955 .1. D. HGFFMAN ETAL 2,707,775

' ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed Jan. 22, 1951 INVENTORS. JOSEPH D. HOFFMAN y EUGENE E. HOLKE United States Patent 0 2,707,775 ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Joseph D. Hoifman, Kirkwood, and Eugene E. Holke, Rock Hill, Mo., assignors to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 22, 1951, Serial No. 207,181 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-276) This invention relates generally to wire connectors and more specifically to an improved and simplified connector adapted for use particularly in electrically and mechanically connecting electrical conductors, the predominant object of the invention being to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive connector which is capable of performing its intended function in an improved and highly efiicient manner.

Fig. l is an end elevation of the improved electrical connector of this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrated by Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the electrical connector shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the improved electrical connector of this invention and showing same at a preliminary stage in the application of the connector to a pair of electrical conductors, one of which is shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the electrical connector as it appears when the application thereof to a pair of electrical conductors has been completed.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

of the electrical connector Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the connector shown in illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention,

A designates the improved connector generally. The connector A is formed from copper, bronze, or other material which is characterized by being a good conductor of electricity and by being workable so that its shape may be readily altered by pressure applied thereto. The connector comprises a body portion 1 which is of approximately circular shape and has formed therein a pair of channels 2 and 3, said channels extending from side to side of the body portion 1. The channel 2 is located at the top of the body portion 1 of the connector, and prior to application of the connector to a pair of electrical conductors said channel 2 is completely open at the circumferential face of the connector, as is shown in Fig. 1. The channel 3 is located at the bottom of the body portion 1 of the connector but instead of being completely open at the bottom face of the connector, as is the channel 2 at the top face thereof, the channel 3 partially closed by curving opposed portions 3' of the body portion 1 of the connector inwardly. The channels 2 and 3 are preferably arranged in alinement with each other and by preference are provided with inner walls 4, said inner walls of said channels being r line to extend 236?,725 Patented May 3, 1955' separated by a web of material 5. it is to be noted that the web of material 5 is not of constant thickness throughout its length, but, instead said web of material is of slightly less thickness at its center than at the op posed end portions thereof. This causes the channels 2 and 3 to be slightly deeper at centers thereof which situation serves to perform a function to be hereinafter set forth. The body portion 1 of the connector A is provided with an extension 6 which is normally projected upwardly from the top face of said body portion, as is shown to good advantage in Fig. 1, said extension 5 being so located that a face thereof is a continuation of a wall of the channel 2.

When the improved connector of this invention is to be employed to electrically and mechanically connect a pair of electrical conductors, for instance to connect a tapofr, or other wire W, to a power line L, an end portion of the wire W is projected into the channel 3 from an end thereof wherein said end portion of said wire W will be held because of the inwardly curved portions 3' of the connector (see Fig. 4). The connector A is then elevated to the power line L and the channel 2 is moved onto the power line L from the bottom thereof so as to cause a portion of said power through said channel 2 of the connector A. The extension 6 is then bent by hand or otherwise, over the power line, as suggested by Fig. 4, so as to temporarily assemble the connector A and the wire W with the power line L. The connector is then subjected to pressure with the aid of a suitable tool, a hydraulic tool, for instance, and this tool shapes the body portion 1 of the connector A about the portion of the power line L that is located in the channel 2 and about the end portion of the wire W located in the channel 3, the pressure applied to the body portion of the connector being sufficient to cause the re-shaped body portion 1 of the connector to very securely grip the power line L and the end portion of the wire W so as to rigidly secure said power line and wire together to provide the required mechanical attachment therefor and to provide the necessary intimate electrical connection between the power line L, connector A, and wire W (see Fig. 5). Attention is directed to the fact that because the channels 2 and 3 are deeper at their centers than elsewhere, as heretofore described, a locking action is obtained between the wires and the compressed connector which prevents relative movement of said wires and said connector.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of the present invention in accordance with which the body portion 1a of the connector Aa has formed in a face thereof a recess 8. This recess receives a portion of a strip of thin material 9, said strip of material having a laterally extended portion 9a which overlies the channel 2a of the body portion 1a and a laterally extended portion 9b which underlies the channel 3:! of said body portion In. The strip of materiai it is secured within the recess 8 by swaging over edge portions of said strip of material, portions of material of the body portion as is indicated at the points designated by the reference character 10. The function of the strip of material is to temporarily connect the connector to a power line and to temporarily connect a tapoft', or other drop wire, to the connector, the portion 9a holding the connector in assembled relation relative to the power line, and the portion 9b holding the tapoff, or other drop wire in assembled relation with respect to the connector prior to the action of subjecting the connector to the compressive force described above.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a form of the invention according to which each side face of the body portion 1b of the connector Ab has formed therein a groove 11 that preferably, though not necessarily, is V-shaped, as is shown in Fig. 3. The grooves 11 preferably extend in the direction of the diameter of the body portion of the connector, from one side of said body portion to the opposite side thereof, and by applying portions of a suitable tool T to the grooves, as is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and causing said tool portions to move toward each other, a compressed connector will be forced open, as is shown in Fig. 9, for removal of the connector.

We claim:

1. A connector comprising a body formed of material characterized by being malleable and a good conductor of electricity, a pair of parallel conductor-receiving channels formed in said body, said channels opening laterally along their lengths at opposed portions of said body with the opening of one of said channels being of less width than the transverse dimension of said one channel, and means comprising a relatively thin bendable element forming a part of said body for temporarily assembling said connector with one of the conductors to be connected with the aid of. the connector, said connector being adapted to be subjected to compressive force which deforms said connector and causes it to securely grip the conductor portions which are disposed in said channels.

2. A connector comprising a body formed of material characterized by being malleable and a good conductor of electricity, a pair of parallel conductor-receiving channels formed in said body, said channels opening laterally along their lengths at opposed portions of said body with the opening of one of said channels being of less width than the transverse dimension of said one channel while the opening of the other channel is substantially of the same width as the transverse width of said other channel, and means comprising a relatively thin bendable element forming a part of said body for temporarily assembling said connector with one of the conductors to be connected with the aid of the connector, said connector being. adapted to be subjected to compressive force which deforms said connector and causes it to securely grip the conductor portions which are disposed in said channels.

3. A connector comprising a body formed of material characterized by being malleable and a good conductor of electricity, a pair of parallel conductor-receiving channels formed in said body, said channels opening laterally along their lengths at opposed portions of said body with the opening of one of said channels being of less width than the transverse dimension of said one channel while the opening of the other channel is substantially of the same width as the transverse width of said other channel, and means comprising a relatively thin bendable element bendable transversely of the opening of said other channel and forming a part of said body for temporarily assembling said connector with one of the conductors to be connected with the aid of the connector, said connector being adapted to be subjected to compressive force which deforms said connector and causes it to securely grip the conductor portions which are disposed in said channels.

4. A connector comprising a body formed of material characterized by being malleable and a good conductor of electricity, a pair of substantially parallel conductor-receiving openings, at least one of said conductor-receiving openings extending through said body and providing a longitudinal slot at the surface of said body at a side thereof, and means comprising a relatively thin bendable element for temporarily assemling said connector with one of the conductors to be connected with the aid of the connector, said thin bendable element being bent with respect to said slot in a manner to prevent disengagement of the connector and a conductor portion received in said slot, said connector being adapted to be subjected to compressive force which deforms said connector and causes it to securely grip the conductor portions which are received in said conductor-receiving openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,142,282 Stewart June 8, 1915 2,296,443 Kleinfelder Sept. 22, 1942 2,307,216 Graham Jan. 5, 1943 2,348,558 Mesch May 9, 1944 2,430,159 Chenier Nov. 4, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 729,500 Germany Dec. 17, 1942 

